FARM ASSOCIATIONS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN SUSTAINING STRONG AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIES THAT CAN SUPPORT VIBRANT RURAL COMMUNITIES AND FLOURISHING ECOSYSTEMS. HOWEVER, THE QUESTION HAS BEEN RAISED AS TO HOW WELL TODAY'S FARM ASSOCIATIONS ARE REPRESENTING AND PROMOTING THE INTERESTS OF FARMERS. IDENTIFYING THE TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS THAT DISTINGUISH RESPONSIVE AND EFFECTIVE FARM ASSOCIATIONS IS A CRUCIAL AND UNMET RESEARCH NEED WITHIN THE DAIRY SECTOR AND THE OVERALL AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY. USING THE CASE STUDY OF DAIRY SUPPLY MANAGEMENT AND THE ASSOCIATED ISSUES OF AQUATIC NUTRIENT POLLUTION AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, THIS QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT EXAMINES THE INSTITUTIONS THAT STRUCTURE THE PROCESSES OF PRODUCERS' ASSOCIATIONS AND STRONGLY INFLUENCE ASSOCIATION DECISIONS, POSITIONS, AND ACTIONS. DATA WILL BE COLLECTED USING DOCUMENT CONTENT ANALYSIS, PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION AT FARM ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, AND INTERVIEWS WITH FARMERS, ASSOCIATION OFFICERS, AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS. ATTENTION WILL BE PAID BOTH TO FORMAL ASSOCIATION INSTITUTIONS AND INFORMAL INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING "NATURALIZED" PROCESSES THAT ARE TAKEN FOR GRANTED AS "THE WAY THINGS ARE" AND PERHAPS NOT QUESTIONED OR EVEN SEEN. SPECIFICALLY, THE PROJECT WILL CHARACTERIZE AND ANALYZE: THE NEEDS AND PARTICIPATION RESOURCES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRODUCERS; THE INSTITUTIONS THAT CURRENTLY STRUCTURE KEY PRODUCER ASSOCIATION PROCESSES; AND HOW THESE INSTITUTIONS AFFECT ASSOCIATION OUTCOMES. BASED ON THESE FINDINGS AND IN COLLABORATION WITH PRODUCERS AND ASSOCIATION OFFICERS, THE PROJECT TEAM WILL DEVELOP A PLAYBOOK OF INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS THAT PROMOTE WELL-INFORMED, EGALITARIAN, DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES IN SUPPORT OF FLOURISHING AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES. ULTIMATELY, THIS PROJECT WILL HELP ASSOCIATIONS FULFILL THEIR POTENTIAL IN SUPPORTING A SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY BY ENCOURAGING THE PROACTIVE DEVELOPMENT OF INSTITUTIONS THAT PROMOTE INFORMED PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY.